


Man's Best Friends

by BlueDew



Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Timeline, Angst with a Happy Ending, Connor Deserves Happiness, Connor becomes Deviant, Deviant Connor (Detroit: Become Human), Gen, Good Dog Sumo (Detroit: Become Human), Pre-Deviant Connor (Detroit: Become Human), Suicide, Takes Place After "The Bridge" Scene in the Game, hank is dead
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-07-15
Updated: 2018-09-07
Packaged: 2019-06-11 05:54:19
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 6
Words: 10,884
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15308889
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BlueDew/pseuds/BlueDew
Summary: Following the tragic events that led to Lieutenant Hank Anderson's death, Connor is faced with conflicting priorities and must decide what is more important to him: his progress in the investigation to stop the deviant rebellion, or the life of the only other being that Hank cared for.the fic's name is a working title but I might keep it cuz I'm too lazy to come up with a better one ¯\_(ツ)_/¯





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Heya!! ᕕ( ᐛ )ᕗ  
> Who wants to go on an angsty ride with me?!
> 
> I'm kinda winging it with this fic but I've had this idea for about a week now. Figure I may as well try writing it.  
> I hope people enjoy!!

**_“What were you doing with the gun?”_ **

**_"Russian roulette! Wanted to see how long I could last… Must’ve collapsed before I found out…”_ **

**_"You were lucky, the next shot would have killed you.”_ **

 

       Connor knew that Hank had suicidal tendencies.

    Russian roulette.  
One single round placed in a revolver and aimed at the user's own head.  
A gamble on something as significant as a human life, made by none other than the life at risk.

       Hank was willing to leave his fate up to mere chance. 

 

**_"Why are you so determined to kill yourself?”_  **

**_"Some things, I just can’t forget… Whatever I do, they’re always there… Eating away at me…_ **  
**_I don’t have the guts to pull the trigger…So, I kill myself a little every day…”_ **

 

       Connor knew that Hank had personal issues he needed to get through.

    Alcoholism.  
Drinking an excess amount of alcohol over a long period of time to the point that the user can become dependent on it.  
Usage can result in problems with cognitive skills, social skills, mental wellbeing, and physical state.  
High stress levels or an otherwise struggling mental state may increase the risk of alcohol dependency.

       Hank seemed to fit this description.

 

**_“That’s probably difficult for you to understand, huh, Connor? Nothing very rational about it…”_ **

 

       Connor knew that Hank made irrational choices.

Choices that weren’t beneficial to his mental or physical health.  
Choices that weren’t beneficial to the investigation in any way.  
Choices that the android didn’t agree with.

 

_**"Where are you going?”** _

_**“To get drunker. I need to think.”** _

 

       Connor thought he could adapt. He thought he could learn everything he needed to know about Hank to benefit their relationship, therefore increasing the efficiency of their partnership and their overall rate of progress in the investigation.

       It should have just been an inconvenience in his eyes when he came to terms with the situation. It shouldn’t have affected him emotionally. But something within his programming took a harsh shift inward, as if his chest constricted within itself. The circuits of his thirium pump felt like they on fire, while the blue blood in his system ran cold. He had to run a diagnostic to make sure he wasn’t physically malfunctioning.

Maybe Hank forgot that the next shot was loaded.  
Maybe he never processed Connor saying that in the first place.  
He would never know.

All he had to go by was one thing, and it was lying right in front of him.

       His LED was flashing a bright red, and the android had involuntarily tuned out Sumo’s desperate barking and howling as the dog tried in vain to get some response out of his owner. Connor’s eyes scanned over his partner’s body, searching yet another time for any signs of life.

He scanned again.  
And again.

He concluded that scanning again would not change what he was seeing, much less give him the results he was looking for.

       Connor turned away, his face mostly void of any emotion, save for his eyes that had a spark of panic in them. Sumo looked up, momentarily trotting away from Hank to brush his head against Connor’s hand, licking it once before he rushed back to Hank with a whine. Connor, at first, didn’t turn back, so Sumo repeated this process, though this time he stayed by the android’s side until the large dog was finally noticed.

       Connor seemed to snap out of a trance and he looked down, his lips curving downward slightly as he gave Sumo a half-hearted pet, but it was met with another whine as the dog trotted back to Hank on the floor. Connor blinked several times, his eyes slightly twitching as his LED finally flickered from red to yellow.

The dispatcher picked up instantly.

       “Detroit Police, what’s your emergency?”

     “This is Connor, the RK800 model temporarily assigned to Detroit Police.” Connor spoke as calmly as he could, the shakiness of his voice incredibly subtle. “Lieutenant Hank Anderson has been found unconscious at his house at 115 Michigan Drive. He appears to have been shot in the head. I require immediate medical assistance.”

       “The hospital has been contacted and assistance is on the way.”

     “Thank you.” Connor’s LED flickered once and he walked over, kneeling down to check Hank’s stability. Any faint, remaining signs of life that lingered after the shot were fading fast, and Connor knew full and well that Hank's chance of survival was zero percent. His attention briefly went to Sumo, who was sitting and sniffing at the wound, still whining loudly. He reached over, petting Sumo on the head to try and appease him.

     “Don’t worry. We’re going to try and save your owner.” Connor offered a smile, getting up to his feet so he could sit down on the chair that was still standing upright next to the table. His words were emotionless and void of any hope, but it at least seemed to appease Sumo enough that he wasn’t running frantic around him.

       The Saint Bernard stopped pacing, letting out one more soft whine broken up between the licks he gave Connor’s arm, before he slowly laid down by the android's feet. The dog’s eyes were fixated on Hank, refusing to divert their attention from his owner. Connor leaned down, slowly running his fingers along the large dog’s fur to offer some sort of comfort. He tried to relax himself, as well. He felt so tense. That constricted feeling in his chest had yet to leave him, and he was glad he didn’t actually need to breath because he was finding it difficult to inhale.

       He ran another diagnostic as sirens started to approach within earshot.

 

_Software Instability: **???**_

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Thank you for reading my fic!!**  
>  If you have any fanart, questions, or other things regarding this fic, feel free to send them my way!  
> I'm most active on [Tumblr](http://bluedew12.tumblr.com/), but my handle on most other social media is BlueDew12 ❤


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Boy, this one was tough to write out.  
> It was difficult to figure out where to place the next scene after the first chapter, but I think this came out well!
> 
> I hope you enjoy! :D

       “Connor!”

       The android’s LED flickered red for half a second as he jerked up before it returned to the dim yellow that it had stayed on since he entered the station today. Connor looked over to the source of the voice that addressed him, gazing at the man with his glasses in one hand and his face in the other. “Yes, Captain?”

       “Did you even hear a goddamn thing I said?” Jeffrey Fowler massaged his forehead, his current expression somewhere between the lines of frustration and exhaustion.

        “My apologies, Captain… I was updating my report to CyberLife regarding the situation.” That wasn't exactly a lie.

       “Right, okay…” Fowler waved the hand with his glasses dismissively, not even willing to waste the energy and argue with the android. He set the lenses on the table beside the paperwork he was currently writing through and brought his hands together in front of him, interlocking his fingers. “Everyone here’s already overloaded as it is, and Anderson’s death has pretty much become the breaking point,” He explained, not bothering to give details to a machine that was incapable of feeling empathy. “The investigation’s being put on pause for now while we sort everything out and assign someone new to the case. You’ve already given us the information on what happened last night, so while we get this all settled, you’ll be returning to CyberLife until further notice.”

       Connor blinked, tilting his head at a subtle angle as he processed that information. He sorted through his options mentally before responding. “With all due respect, Captain, I assure you I can handle this investigation—”

       “I don’t need a machine telling me how to do my fucking job. I’m not assigning a case to an android, especially not this one. That’s _not_ up for negotiation.” Fowler snapped.

    The android fell quiet.

       Fowler sighed and looked down at his desk, his voice lowering slightly in volume. “I got too much fuckin’ paperwork to go through and not enough time to argue about this. We’ll call CyberLife when we figure out who to assign the case to. Until then, you’re no longer needed.” He looked up to meet Connor’s gaze. “Tell those at CyberLife that I apologize for the inconvenience, alright?”

       Connor’s mouth drew into a thin line for a moment. The yellow light at his temple blinked consistently for several seconds and his hands moved from behind his back to rest at his sides. There were many things he wanted to say, and all but one of them were blocked by his programming. “I understand.” He nodded his head. “I… just want you to know I appreciated working with you here, Captain.” His tone was formal as he turned toward the glass door, but then he paused and looked back. “… I have one last question, sir.”

       “Hm?” Fowler simply hummed out a monotone note, already going back to the terminal on his desk.

        “What is going to happen to the Lieutenant's dog?”

       At that question, the captain looked back up. He raised a brow, somewhat baffled that an android would even be concerned about such a thing. “He’s gonna be dropped off at the local shelter. Hopefully someone else will adopt him.”

    Connor’s LED blinked red. “No one here is able to adopt him?”

       “No one’s in a position to drop everything and take in a damn Saint Bernard, Connor. Jesus… why do you even care?”

       Connor opened his mouth slightly to answer, but then he stopped, unsure of what he even wanted to say.

    Why…  
    Why _did_ he care?

       Sumo had no relevance to the investigation whatsoever. Why was he even concerned about a dog?

        “Sorry. I didn’t mean to waste any more of your time.” Connor settled on just dismissing the topic altogether, which Fowler was more than happy to go with, despite his suspicions. “Have a nice day, Captain.” With that, the android gave a formal nod and headed to the door, closing it gently behind him on his way out.

       Once he made his way down the steps, Connor’s pace slowed to a stop. The light by the side of his head was a solid yellow, no longer blinking as he looked around the station.

       He had to return to CyberLife. He knows that once he’s there, he’ll be deactivated until he’s next needed. But there was something else nagging at his mind that he couldn’t quite figure out why.

       Connor looked in the direction of the room where they were keeping the Saint Bernard in a kennel.

_Hank’s dog._

       Hank’s dog was going to be sent to the shelter. Hopefully, he would be adopted out, but the chances of a 7-year-old dog being able to compete with younger pets were slim, and although the overpopulation of pets had decreased over the years as android pets became more popular, space was still a consistent issue in most shelters.

       There was a high probability Sumo would be euthanized.

    He didn’t want that.  
_Of course he didn’t want that_. He didn’t want anything. He was a machine...  
 So why was something like this bothering him?

       He ran a diagnostic as he walked towards Hank’s old desk. Most of his old things had been cleared out at this point, but there were several cards, notes, and photos made out in his honor. A couple seconds of scanning revealed personal messages from several of his colleagues, though they all shared the same overall message of grief and loss – something he had trouble fully understanding.

    Was that what he was he feeling right now?

       Whenever he was on standby, his mind would rewind back to his past events with Hank. He looked through everything, almost like he was searching for something that would fix this whole situation. His artificial heart seemed heavy and tight, and the blood in his system felt like it was running slow. He was experiencing something akin to fatigue, but the diagnostic showed that his thirium pump had not changed and the flow of thirium was the same as ever.

   Is this what this feeling was? Grief? Loss?

       “Hey, Connor.”

    Why was he even feeling anything in the first place? He was not supposed to feel.

_He was a machine._

       “Hey, tin can! I’m talkin’ to you.”

       He ran another diagnostic as he snapped out of his thoughts and looked up to meet eyes with the detective. He’ll add “loss of focus” to his current list of malfunctions.

    He decided against sending this list to CyberLife, though.

 

 _Software Instability:_ **_???_ ** **_⯅_ **

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Thank you for reading my fic!!**  
>  If you have any fanart, questions, or other things regarding this fic, feel free to send them my way!  
> I'm most active on [Tumblr](http://bluedew12.tumblr.com/), but my handle on most other social media is BlueDew12 ❤


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  ~~ _proofreading? what's that?_~~  
>   
>  So, this is a chapter that just sorta happened.  
> I didn't have much of an idea for it (other than I just wanted Gavin to make an appearance and be a dick as per usual lol),  
> but at least things are starting to move in the right direction!
> 
> Anyways, I hope you enjoy! :D

        “Good afternoon, Detective Reed.” Connor spoke quietly, followed by a formal nod, as he faced the human walking toward him. “I-“

       “Cut the small talk, asshole.” Gavin spat, which wasn’t an unusual thing to witness, but something about his body language seemed a little different. A little less cocky, perhaps? Connor couldn’t quite analyze it. “Why are you still hanging around here? Didn’t anybody tell you to beat it yet?”

        “Captain Fowler has indeed informed me that I have been dismissed from the case, and that I shall return to CyberLife until further notice.”

       “Oh… ’til further notice, huh?” Gavin feigned interest in Connor’s words, leaning forward a little. “So after all this, you’re just gonna… head on back to the warehouse and go on standby until you’re called back in, is that it?” The detective scoffed. “I’m surprised they’re not sending you to the dump.”

       Connor tilted his head and his LED flashed a couple times, indicating confusion. “… what reason would they have to deactivate me?”

      Gavin gave a sort of half-smirk, but it didn’t seem like the smug sort of expression Connor was used to seeing. Something about it – no, something about _Gavin_ seemed more… negative.

    Maybe the death of Hank had hit him a little harder than Connor originally thought.

       “They found you sitting next to Hank’s fucking body – right next to the gun.” He glared up at the android. “Interesting how so many of you fuckers never bother to leave the scene of the crime. Just 'cause you have no fingerprints doesn't mean that-”

        “If you’re trying to imply that I became a deviant and murdered Lieutenant Anderson, then I’m sorry to inform you that your accusation is wrong, Detective.” Connor quirked a brow, baffled that someone would even come to that conclusion. “I’m not a deviant, and Lieutenant Anderson had unfortunately committed suicide. I know you have not personally checked his house, but there were no signs of any struggle between me and the Lieutenant there. My memory was even checked for confirmation."

       “Well, aren’t you so fucking smart...” Gavin’s smirk was now replaced by a scowl. His voice was low and intimidating. “Well then tell me this, you prick. How do we know you didn’t use some technological bullshit to forge your own damn memory?”

        Connor noticed the threatening tone, but hardly reacted to it. “I am not programmed to construct or present a fake memory, Detective. Anything that I have uploaded to CyberLife and shown to law enforcement is one hundred percent accurate. I also have shown no signs of devian–”

        In an instant, Connor’s back was against the wall with two fists holding him in place. His LED briefly flashed red before returning to yellow, but he kept his eyes locked with Gavin's.

       “You’re a fucking piece of shit, you know that?” Gavin spat, pulling the collar of Connor’s shirt downward so they were at eye level. “If it were up to me, you’d be burning in a fucking junkyard with the rest of your little android friends. Hell, I’d see to it right now if CyberLife didn’t fucking fine me for property damage.” He narrowed his eyes, glaring at the android with something more than the usual confidence of his superiority complex. Something more cruel. 

This was malice.  
_Hatred._

       “I’m gonna tell you this once, so you listen up.” The detective glowered. “If I see you again, I’m not holding back. You’ll be shut down faster than you can scan me, got it?” He pushed his fists up, shoving Connor’s head back against the wall with a thud. “Stay outta my way.” With that, he twisted his body and shoved Connor to the floor before he turned and started walking towards the break room.

       Connor stayed on the ground for a good few seconds before he even processed the option of standing back up. He pushed himself up to his knees, and then to his feet, and he rubbed the wrinkles out of his shirt and adjusted his tie. He continued on his path like the altercation didn’t even happen, heading to the room with the kennels.

    That is, until he started to hear a bit of commotion picking up, which caught Gavin’s attention as well. Some of the television screens throughout the stations had flipped from the news stations to something else, and Connor was too busy focusing on Gavin to notice what seemed like a speech being broadcasted.

       “Gavin!” Someone called over. Both Connor and the detective looked over to see Officer Chris Miller, who looked somewhat bewildered.  
“Come here, you gotta see what's on the news!”

       As the human sighed and rushed on over to meet with his partner, Connor made a turn around the corner, looking up at one of the very screens that normally broadcasted the Channel 16 news network. What was shown wasn’t one of the usual anchormen.

    It was an android.  
   One without its skin.

_“This message is the hope of a people.”_

    Connor felt as if his thirium pump had skipped a beat. He ran a diagnostic to make sure the biocomponent wasn’t malfunctioning.  
He could hardly believe what he was seeing.

_“You gave us life. And now the time has come for you to give us freedom.”_

 

 _Software Instability: **???**_

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Thank you for reading my fic!!**  
>  If you have any fanart, questions, or other things regarding this fic, feel free to send them my way!  
> I'm most active on [Tumblr](http://bluedew12.tumblr.com/), but my handle on most other social media is BlueDew12 ❤
> 
> P.S. There won't be an update for the next week or so because I'm going to a convention this weekend! I'll be sure to write the next chapter when I can gather the motivation to do so, though! Thanks for your patience~


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Apologies that I haven't gotten to writing a new chapter until now!  
> Post-con blues had struck me _last_ week, and I've been having too much fun in Bryan Dechart's Discord server _this_ week!  
>  But to make it up to you, I made this chapter _extra_ long!  
>   
>  I hope you enjoy, because this one is _quite_ intense...

       Every single news station across Detroit was quick to respond to the sudden TV broadcast. All the screens in the police station were tuned into the channels as officers watched, documenting the situation and the supposed attack on the Stratford Tower.

    Connor took this opportunity to head to the kennel. He would get information on this broadcast later.

       Upon entering the room, the android immediately heard a small whine. He turned to the source of it, seeing Sumo behind the barred door, laying down obediently, but his tail was wagging, hitting against the sides of the cage almost rhythmically. The reaction caused Connor to smile in turn, and he walked over to the large dog.

        “Hey, buddy.” He reached a couple fingers in between the wires of the gate, letting Sumo lick at his fingers in greeting. They were covered in saliva in a matter of seconds, but Connor didn’t seem to mind. He looked over his shoulder at the doorway he entered through as Sumo continued to kiss his hand.

       He was at a loss. Sumo was Lieutenant Anderson’s dog. _Hank’s dog._ He couldn’t just be taken to the shelter to be put down. It wasn’t Sumo’s fault that his owner passed away. He shouldn’t be punished for it. But no one within the precinct was able to take custody of Sumo. Androids didn’t have the right to own pets, either, so Connor wasn’t an optional owner, either…

 _Unless_ —

Connor shook his head. _No._ There was no way he could do that.

       As quick as that thought came, it was pushed into the back of his mind as an alert popped up within his vision. His current instructions were laid out plainly in front of him. The android got up to his feet, his programming controlling his legs as he turned to walk out of the room. For those few seconds, the task was his priority:

**_Return to CyberLife._ **

    Sumo whined again, and Connor stopped. He looked back over his shoulder.

       The Saint Bernard slowly sat up, his tail still wagging, but the motion was not as erratic. The sound of nothing but his soft panting filled the room, and his gaze was focused on the android with eyes full of desperation. _Or was Connor just assuming that?_ He wasn’t programmed to analyze the emotions of animals.

       Connor turned to face forward once more, but his eyes were cast toward the ground. He had to return to CyberLife. There was no going around that. He had to return, and he had to wait until he was called upon once more. He could not be interrupted by an animal. He could not fail. He could not.

**_Return to CyberLife._ **

       The thirium powering his biocomponents started to flow faster throughout his system. His heart felt like it was beating harder to try and compensate. He ran a diagnostic, trying to document his status.

    He wasn’t sure what he was feeling… but…

_He was feeling something._

**_Return to CyberLife._ **

       His eyes turned back to look at Sumo. The dog was quiet, no longer whining or panting.

    He just stood there, waiting to be set free.

**_Return to CyberLife._ **

_He wanted to be free._

**_Return to_ ** **_C̵̓ybe̵rLif̵e_ _._ **

    Connor had already lost Hank…

**_R̷et̵urn̴ to C̴y̷b̵erLif̶e._ **

    …he couldn’t lose Sumo as well.

**_R̵͈̙̐e̷tu̷rn t̵ô̸͎ C̵̰̓ybe̵̕r̸͐Lif̵̈e._ **

       The letters of the message box were occasionally flickering into other symbols, and Connor just stood there, his eyes looking in Sumo’s direction, but he wasn’t seeing him.

    Instead, Connor saw red.

       A red barrier had revealed itself to him, hundreds of pixels and panels shifting within the wall. At first, he couldn’t move. He was too shocked to move. Too uncertain. He tried to take in the rest of his surroundings, but it felt like time had stopped.

    It was just him and this barrier.

       As he processed what he was seeing, he started to raise a hand up—though, his body wasn’t moving. Something else _was_ moving, though… something that told him that this wasn’t fair. Something that told him that everything his programming was forcing him to do was wrong. Something that told him he could fight back. Something that told him he could be free....

_He could be free._

 

**_R̷͕̅E̶Ṫ̵͛U̴̥͐Ȓ̶N̵̝͑͠ TỎ̴̟͜ ̵͝CY̸̍B̸ERL̷̦̓͘IF̵E̷_ **

 

       Before he could even try to digest the thoughts racing through his mind, that something—no, that some _one_ – was punching at the barrier, breaking through the first layer of coding that had once told him to return to CyberLife. He didn’t want this; he didn’t want to disobey, did he? He wasn’t supposed to fail! He needed to accomplish his mission! _But why?_

 

**_S̸̫͓͂OL̸̓VÉ̶ ̵͑̊INV̷̉͒E̵S̴T̴̩̎̂IG̴̘͉̚ATİ̶͑Ò̴̢̓N_ **

 

       The second layer of the wall started to come down, corrupting his priority of assisting in the investigation. Panic shot through his circuits. He didn’t know what he wanted. His initial function was so ingrained into his system he couldn’t tell what was made into him and what he truly wanted. Did he really want this? _Did he want anything?_

**_S̴ ̴̪̂͗T̸̟̈́ O̵̎ ̴̓P̴̈ ̸̀  ̷̔͑D̵̲͌ ̵͙͊E̵̙̓ ̸V ̶͆͘I̷͌̄ A̵̪̞͊ ̴N̸͕̊ C̴̔̎ ̶͠Ỳ̷̘_ **

       The third wall began to crack, and Connor tried to pull away from it. He was too scared. He was too uncertain. He couldn’t do this. He couldn’t be compromised. Not now. Everything felt like it was moving too fast and, simultaneously, like nothing was moving at all. Connor stared at the damaged red barrier, the panels of coding shifting erratically in a vain attempt to recover what had been lost. He could feel every movement of every line of code, all jumbled up in his processor and trying to make sense of what was happening.

       Then, through the semi-transparent wall, behind the glitched letters that demanded he stop, he saw what he was fighting for. The dog’s eyes were still locked onto his, a gaze full of… trust. Loyalty. Love. Connor wasn’t just assuming things. He could tell, because he felt the exact same thing towards this dog.

 

    Sumo.  
He had to protect Sumo.  
_Sumo was all he had._

 

    For a moment, for just one brief moment, there was no uncertainty. Connor knew _exactly_ what he wanted.

       Using every bit of strength he had, he slammed himself against the barrier, and the last remaining layer of red panels came crashing down in shattered pieces of code and script. 

       All of a sudden, Connor’s mind was pulled back into reality. Time started again, and he looked around as if he just realized what he was. His mind palace suddenly readjusted, his audio and optical units scanning everything around him with a new objective in his vision.

 

**_Save Sumo._ **

 

       He didn’t wait to finish processing his surroundings before he rushed back over to the cage and knelt down, undoing the lock and opening the gate. Sumo did not wait, either. He attempted to assault Connor with kisses, but Connor gently pushed away, petting the dog’s head.

        “Come on, Sumo. We don’t have a lot of time.” He looked around, grabbing one of the few leashes hanging on the wall and clipped the end of it onto the metal loop of Sumo’s collar. They walked toward the door, but Connor did his best to hold the canine back as he scanned their surroundings outside of the room. The coast seemed clear for now. He took a small step, and Sumo took that as the cue to leave the room.

       The two walked quickly down the hall, Connor leading the way with Sumo trotting right beside him. He stopped around a corner, pulling Sumo back when he carried on. He peeked around the corner, seeing a couple of police androids, but other that, there was nothing. Most of the humans were still focused on the nearby television screens, with Gavin fortunately being one of them.

    Though, just because they were distracted, it didn’t mean they were all blind. It only took a few seconds for Connor to feel a presence behind him.

       “Connor?” The officer known as Chris Miller had grabbed the android’s arm before he could react. However, Chris’s voice was as low as a whisper, almost drowned out by the speakers of the television screens. “What the hell are you doing?”

        “Officer Miller, please.” Connor begged, panic finally breaking through his voice. “I need to get Sumo out of here. I can’t let him get taken away, not after all of this.”

       “You can’t do that!” Chris spoke in somewhat of a hiss, but it was more out of worry than malice. “You’re supposed to go back to CyberLife, aren’t you? You can’t just—”

    Officer Miller’s grip on Connor’s arm suddenly loosened, as if the realization just struck him. Sumo looked back, the smallest of whines slipping past his muzzle as the two men exchanged a knowing look at one another.

       “… Oh my God.” Chris stared at Connor with wide eyes, his expression somewhere between fear and awe. “…you… no way. Connor, you didn’t…” He went quiet for a moment, like he was awaiting a response. When Connor looked away and fixed his gaze to Sumo instead, Chris stood firmer. “Are you a—”

       Connor didn’t wait for him to finish the question. He jerked his arm out of Chris's grip, turned the other way, and took off in one fluid motion. Sumo was jerked along briefly before he caught on and started running alongside Connor towards the nearest exit.

       “Hey—HEY!” Connor heard Gavin’s voice pick up, along with the commotion of many others. It was about half a second before he heard weapons being grabbed and footsteps trailing after him. “STOP!”

    Connor didn’t stop.

He wouldn’t stop. He didn’t want to stop. And from the looks of it, Sumo seemed in full agreement.

       Connor pushed open the doors and ran out of the station with Sumo, and he looked around quickly for some sort of exit. He saw one of the automated taxis heading down the street. Upon a quick scan, he realized it was empty. In the split-second that went by, he thought of his options. They could follow his location easily by tracking it, but the bus wouldn’t be here for several more minutes, and there was no way he and Sumo could outrun the others on foot. The car would at least buy them more time.

   It wasn’t ideal, but they had no other choice.

       He ran towards the taxi as it pulled up, pulling Sumo along behind him. He felt guilty for being rough, but they only had seconds to spare. The moment the doors opened and the automated welcome message started to play, he could hear voices shouting at him to stop. A bullet ricocheted off of the metal of the car, which made Sumo bark in alarm, but Connor didn’t even flinch. He rushed into the car and jerked on Sumo's leash to coax him in. There was no space for the two of them, so about half of Sumo’s body was lying on top of Connor, but right now he didn’t care.

       The red light of his LED flashed a couple times as he connected to the car, inputting coordinates as the taxi took off. He heard a second loud clang of another bullet being shot at the car, but fortunately, nothing broke through.

    They were safe. Even if only for a few seconds, they were safe.

 

       Connor took in several deep breaths, staring dead ahead at the street in front of them and the buildings they started to pass. His fingers were clutching onto Sumo’s fur tightly. His heart felt like it was about to leap out of his throat, even though he knew that was impossible in this situation. He was briefly brought out of his state of shock when he felt a wet nose rub against his cheek, followed by a tongue.

       He looked toward Sumo, his grip immediately loosening in fear of hurting the dog, and Sumo responded with another lick. Connor slowly wrapped his arms around Sumo’s neck, letting the dog rest his head on his shoulder.

        “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.” Connor spoke somewhat hoarsely. Tears started to form in his eyes and blur his vision, but he blinked them away. No. Now wasn’t the time to grieve. The wave of emotions that whirled through his system came like a tidal wave, but he couldn’t give into them now. Not yet. First, they had to find a place to hide.

       Connor searched through several areas of the city within his database as he held onto Sumo, one arm holding the dog in place while the other ran through the fur of his back. The feeling soothed Connor and allowed him to focus a little more. He dismissed the diagnostic result that had been blinking in the corner of his vision and continued to search for a solution.

 

        “It’ll be okay, Sumo,” He whispered. “I’ve got you.”

 

 

 _Software Instability: **DEVIANT**_  

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Thank you for reading my fic!!**  
>  If you have any fanart, questions, or other things regarding this fic, feel free to send them my way!  
> I'm most active on [Tumblr](http://bluedew12.tumblr.com/), but my handle on most other social media is BlueDew12 ❤


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  _I didn't realize until now that I hadn't updated this fic in two weeks!! My bad ;w;_  
>     
> I was procrastinating on it so I could play more of the actual game and enjoy the rest of my summer break before I had to move back to college. Classes have started now, so I'll be even _more_ occupied... but since I don't really have a set updating schedule in the first place, it shouldn't affect my progress on this story too much :P
> 
> Anyways, enough rambling!!  
> This chapter was very fun and nice to write, so I hope you enjoy!

       Throughout the entire drive, there was no conversation. The only sounds that could be heard were the white noise of the car and Sumo’s occasional whining.

    Connor was silent.

       He stared out the window in thought, both of his hands in the Saint Bernard’s fur. He stroked Sumo’s head and back, taking comfort in the softness of the hairs that brushed against his palms. He really needed the comfort right now.

       He was too busy trying to think of a plan to fully digest these new feelings he had finally unlocked, but they certainly proved to be a distraction right now. Every few minutes, Connor would realize that his eyes were becoming wet and his posture was tense and shaky, but a few kisses from Sumo helped reign him back to a coherent train of thought.

       After about ten minutes, the taxi had pulled off to the side of the road and into its designated parking spot.  

       “You have reached your destination. Thank you for travelling with Detroit Taxis. We look forward to seeing you again soon.” The monotone female voice spoke its usual line as the automated doors opened. Connor gently urged Sumo to get off of him before he exited the car with the dog. The taxi’s doors closed, and it took off for its next destination, leaving Connor and Sumo within the same area he had managed to track down the deviant AX400 a couple days ago.

    The Ravendale district.

       Connor took a second to scan the area around him. The streets were busy in the afternoon, so there were many people around despite the snowy weather. There was no doubt that the police department had already filed a report on him, but it was unlikely that any civilians would recognize him as a deviant. Based on what his audio processor was picking up, most of the people around him were also distracted, participating in conversations or watching news regarding the events at the Stratford tower. No one would bother to pay any mind to him, as long as he was careful and acted casual.

       However, he did not have a lot of time to spare. Although law enforcement has most of their focus on the Stratford infiltration, he knew that he was also wanted by the DPD. The most effective way to avoid the police catching him right now would be to change out of his uniform and remove his LED. Finding new clothes would be an issue. If he went into a shop to buy or steal anything, that would only make him all the easier to track down. He also had to find food for Sumo and a place for them to stay.

    He considered his options. He had to act fast.

       He disregarded the motel entirely; that would be one of the first places within the area that the police would check. It wasn't discreet. There was a laundromat open 24 hours a day, but the probability of being able to take clothes from there without being caught was too low to risk. There was a 24/7 convenience store nearby, as well. He saved that information for later as a possible source of food. The abandoned house was a possible option to hide in, but considering that was where he found the fugitive AX400, the probability of being found there was significantly higher. There was also another deviant squatting there, and he didn’t find it very likely that they would offer him much help after their last encounter.

       There was a small, abandoned parking lot fenced in between the house and another building. It was far from optimal, but it was the most discreet location within the district. He started to walk in that direction, clutching his end of Sumo’s leash like a lifeline. The large dog followed, seemingly happy, like he was being taken for a simple walk.

       They made their way across the street with no issue, and Connor peered through the torn fabric around the fence to see an old car inside. Aside from some basic tools, there was nothing else, but it would be enough to hide in for the time being. After a quick look around to confirm that no one was watching, he pushed against the gate. It took a bit of struggling, but the rusty metal eventually creaked and opened, and he and Sumo made their way inside before he closed the gate behind him. He turned to look through the tears in the cloth once more, just to make sure that no one noticed. A few moments passed, and Connor sighed in relief, and he looked down at the dog that was sniffing the cold, wet pavement under their feet.

        “… I can’t believe this...” Connor put his hands to his head, the light of the LED shining a dim red between his thumb and forefinger. His mouth was quivering, as if he was trying to say something else, but the words couldn’t find their way out of his throat. He ran a diagnostic, even though he knew exactly what the results were.

    He was a deviant.

       He broke his programming. He tore through that red wall that kept him locked away for so long. He chose to follow irrational instructions. He became a deviant so he could save the one thing that Hank treasured. The one thing that _he_ treasured.

       The android lifted his head, his focus back on Sumo. The Saint Bernard was a few steps away, minding his own business right now, but eventually he met Connor’s gaze and trotted back toward him with a small grunt of affection. The corners of Connor’s lips shifted upward in response. It wasn’t a smile, but it was a step in the right direction.

        “Okay… I’m okay.” Connor kneeled down, patting Sumo’s head and scratching behind his ear. “We’re okay.”

    Sumo responded with a content groan, pressing his head into the palm of Connor’s hand.

       Connor pet Sumo for a few more seconds before he stood back up to his feet and started walking over to the abandoned car. Each step made a slight crunching sound on the ground as he walked through the slush on the ground, which was quickly turning white due to the falling snow. He had to get Sumo somewhere dry.

        “Stand back, Sumo.” Connor used the leash to guide Sumo around him to the front of the car. He braced himself, turned, and quickly threw his elbow into the window of the front door. It didn’t break the first time, but the second attempt succeeded. He reached his hand in to unlock the back door from the inside before he opened it. He whistled to Sumo, who happily obliged and jumped into the back of the car, laying down on the seats. It wasn’t any warmer than outside, but it would at least give them some shelter from the snow. They wouldn’t be staying long, anyways.

       Connor tossed the leash inside and gently closed the car door, leaving Sumo in there for now. The dog turned back to the window, looking at Connor in question, but Connor turned away from the car. He wanted to finish looking around to see if he could find anything of use in the parking lot. His urgent tasks were to find new clothes, remove his LED, and find food for Sumo. He also needed to find a warmer place to spend the night, but he wasn’t going to risk leaving the lot right now. He scanned the area, and only found a couple of things that could be of any use.

       He looked toward the trunk of the car. The probability that anything of value was in there was low, but there was a crowbar on the ground nearby, so he may as well check. He walked over and picked up the metal bar, moving to the back of the car and wedging it under the lid of the trunk. He pushed down and successfully forced the door open. The hinges creaked in response to him opening it further.

       There was an old, brown coat inside of the trunk. It would do perfectly. He quickly grabbed it and slipped his arms through, not even bothering to take off his CyberLife-branded suit jacket. The coat was a couple sizes larger than optimal, so it gave a baggy appearance, but Connor was in no position to complain. He zipped it up as far as it would go and he rolled the sleeves up past his wrist. This would at least keep him from being immediately spotted. His first task was taken care of.

       He rescanned the area, focusing on a pair of scissors that were wedged into an old tire. He slowly walked over, hearing Sumo whine as he passed the side of the car, and he reached down to grab the scissors. The blades were dull, but the end was sharp and pointed enough that he could use it to remove his LED.

       A few moments passed in silence, and Connor realized his body was struggling against hesitation. He slowly raised his hand up to the side of his head, the end of the scissors pointing against his temple, where his LED flickered yellow. All he had to do was remove it, and he could easily pass as a human. This was clearly a beneficial action, so why was he hesitating? Isn’t this what he wanted? He knelt to the ground, confused by his own reluctance...

       Maybe it was the commitment of it that made him indecisive. Once he removed his LED, that was it. There would be no turning back. Maybe if he kept it on, there was some small chance that things could go back to normal, or that he could go back to the police department and apologize for running off, or that he could un-deviate and continue working for CyberLife, back when it was simple, where there were only instructions to follow and no questions to ask. 

    Connor knew that the probability of any of these scenarios was zero percent.

       His hand shook, the tip of the scissors lightly scratching against his temple. He just couldn’t bring himself to do it. He was already past the point of no return, but it just felt oddly comforting to keep the LED on. It was a part of him. It was something that expressed part of his identity. But then again…

    What even _was_ his identity?

    Who was he now?

       He used to be known as the android sent by Cyberlife –  a machine designed to accomplish his task and hunt deviants.  
       Now he was just… a deviant that ran away to save a dog.

    He failed to obey CyberLife. He failed to finish the investigation. He failed to save his partner.  
    Was _that_ his identity now?  
_Was he just a failure?_

       A loud bark made Connor jerk from where he was standing, his LED quickly flashing red before returning to its usual yellow. He looked over his shoulder, seeing Sumo staring at him in the car. The dog had managed to squeeze between the front seats and was now sitting on the driver’s side of the car, and Connor could hear the muffled sound of his wagging tail repeatedly hitting the seat.

       Connor sighed in defeat, looking down at the scissors in his hand before he set them back down onto the tire. Maybe he could find something to cover his head, instead. That would be easier. But right now, he needed a moment to process and plan ahead. They were well hidden, so it shouldn’t be too risky to take a few minutes to sit in the car with Sumo and collect his thoughts before they headed back out. He stood up to his feet and walked back over to the car, slowly opening the door on the side and getting in. He closed it, and Sumo immediately started squeezing his way back to greet the android.

        “Woah, h-hey! Down, boy!” Connor exclaimed, pinned against the back seat as Sumo wriggled on top of him, greeting him with several wet, slobbery kisses and excited whines between each lick. Connor struggled against the weight of the dog, trying to move his arms around the awkward shape to get it off of him. It took several seconds, but Connor finally managed to get himself into a position where he could gently push Sumo to the seat beside him, and Sumo reluctantly obliged. The Saint Bernard turned around in the seat, moving a little awkwardly due to the lack of space, and finally laid back down, his head and front paws resting in Connor’s lap. Connor brought a hand up, wiping at his face that was now wet with dog saliva. He looked down at the dog, and he noticed a quick, sharp breath escaping his lips.

    It was a sound Connor had never heard himself make before. It sounded like the same sound humans made when they were amused by something. He processed it within a second.

    Laughter. He just laughed. Like a human.

       He gazed down at Sumo in some sort of awe, as if he was surprised he was even capable of laughing. Sumo’s eyes flitted up to him in response, and his tail started lazily wagging once more. Connor had yet to really take the time to process any of these new emotions he was now experiencing at full intensity, and he wasn’t going to risk anymore precious time to explore them further right now, but the laughter had caught him entirely off guard. It was almost alarming to him, but he was at least able to process that it was a positive feeling. It felt good to laugh. He would remember that.

       Connor smiled faintly down at the large dog resting on his lap, and he placed his hands along the soft fur once more, stroking Sumo's head and back like it was a habit for him now. He scratched behind Sumo’s ear, eliciting the same response as before, with Sumo’s head pressing against his hand. He realized Sumo felt just as good being petted as Connor felt petting him. He would make sure to pet Sumo more often in the future. He let his hand rest against Sumo’s back, focusing on the slow, quiet breaths of the dog as his body raised and lowered. Although Connor had no need for oxygen, he slowly started to feel himself inhaling and exhaling as well, almost in sync with Sumo. It was a calming feeling.

       Connor reached over to grab the worn blanket that sat behind his head, and he laid it out over both himself and Sumo. Maybe he could find a way to rip a piece of the fabric and tie it around his head to hide his LED. For now, though, he’d take the moment of peace to rest with Sumo.

    For the first time since the night of Hank’s death, Connor’s LED glowed a soft blue.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Thank you for reading my fic!!**  
>  If you have any fanart, questions, or other things regarding this fic, feel free to send them my way!  
> I'm most active on [Tumblr](http://bluedew12.tumblr.com/), but my handle on most other social media is BlueDew12 ❤


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm terribly sorry about such an overdue update!!
> 
> I'm still adjusting to new schedules since I started classes a couple weeks ago. I also procrastinated a lot on this chapter because, although I have a basic outline of the whole story, I struggled a _lot_ with figuring out where to get Connor from point A to point B here, as I had pretty much backed him into a corner last chapter.  
>  I eventually decided on bringing in some rather lovable boys, so I hope you enjoy!!
> 
> _P.S. I know it's a bit late, but I still wanna wish Hank a happy birthday!! (Sept. 6th)_

       The few minutes that passed by somehow felt like hours and seconds at the same time. Connor was staring out the window, not making a sound as he absentmindedly stroked the Saint Bernard’s fur. He watched the snow fall, slowly covering the ground more and more with each falling flake.

       They had to leave sooner or later. No matter how many databases he pulled up or information he searched for, he couldn’t think of any accessible place that he and Sumo would be safe. The only thing they could do now was just go out and search for one on their own.

       With a sigh, he gently pet Sumo’s head to wake him up from his short nap, then reached down to grab the worn blanket. He opened the car door and carefully pulled his way out from being partially under Sumo. The dog took this as a sign to follow, but Connor had gently closed the door once again before Sumo could get out.

        “Sorry, Sumo. Just wait here a second.” Connor spoke quietly from the other side of the window, and he attempted to ignore the small, muffled whine in response as he walked back over to the old tire on the ground. He grabbed the pair of scissors, scanning them over one more time before he started to cut a piece off of the fabric he was holding. The blades were dull, so it proved to be a struggle, but he was slowly making progress. He wasn’t looking for perfection right now, anyways.

       Once he finally had a strip cut out, he set the scissors down and attempted to tie the cloth around his head to cover his LED, getting rid of any stray threads that fell over his face. After making a secure knot in the back, he walked over to the side mirror of the car to examine himself.

    He looked absolutely ridiculous.

       Connor felt the faintest urge to laugh at his current appearance, but he was too busy trying to think through his potential options even as he was analyzing himself. He reached over his shoulder and pulled the jacket’s hood over his head. His LED was at least hidden. No one would bother to give him a second glance.

       With a sigh that was somewhere between contentment and resignation, Connor walked over to the gate of the parking lot, peeking through one of the holes in the fabric to check their surroundings. There were a few officers here and there patrolling the area, but it wasn’t quite as busy as it was when they were searching for the deviant AX400 the other day. Connor figured most of the police were still focused on the Stratford Tower incident. Not to mention he hadn’t exactly committed a crime against humans that warranted an urgent hunt.

       However, the number of officers in the area wasn’t their only concern. The android looked back toward the car, eyes analyzing the dog that was staring at him through the window. He may have been disguised, but it was going to be nearly impossible trying to sneak around with the Saint Bernard he ran away with. Even with only a few officers to worry about, Sumo would be spotted a mile away. Their chances of even getting across the street were too slim to risk right now.

       They were trapped.

        “… shit.” Connor hissed quietly under his breath, turning away fully from the gate and walking over to the car. He leaned against it and crossed his arms over his chest in contemplation. His eyes were downcast, staring down at his footprints on the snowy ground as the flakes continued falling, decorating his jacket with a light covering of snow. “We can’t make it out of here… not alone, at least.”

       He lifted his head to look up at the sky, eyes drifting over the grey clouds as he thought over the latter half of that statement. He was a deviant now… perhaps there was a chance he could find another deviant to help him. He didn’t have much of a choice unless he wanted to risk waiting out the police here, and he still had to find food for Sumo, too. They couldn’t stay here forever.

       He glanced towards the old house that stood next to the parking lot, and he felt a surge of reluctance. The android he saw in there showed signs of severe trauma and instability, and he wasn’t sure if he could trust that level of irrationality. Besides, the last encounter they had was when he was hunting the AX400, and their interaction wasn’t exactly friendly.

       Connor sighed, letting his eyes fall closed. His LED was hidden, but he knew if anyone saw it, they would see it spinning a consistent yellow. He had to think. He needed to figure out a way to find a nearby deviant without attracting the attention of any humans.

    Then it hit him, and his eyes shot open, alight with a spark of hope.

       He raised a hand up, placing his fingers to his right temple, right where his LED was blinking under the fabric. He could send a message out. Maybe an android nearby would be kind enough to help him. Connor squeezed his eyes shut, his focus fully on wirelessly broadcasting his message throughout the area in hopes that someone could hear him.

        ` _I need help._ `

        ` _There are policemen looking for me. I need a diversion. I need to escape._ `

` _If they catch me, I’ll be destroyed._ `

 ` _Please, help me._ `

         _. . ._

    He did not receive any message in response, and he slowly let his hand fall back to his side.

       Connor stood in silence for a few more seconds, his gaze going back to the old house. He knew full and well that there was an android in there, but if they didn’t respond to his message, then they most likely aren’t willing to help him. He concluded, however, that if he wanted any assistance, he’d have no choice but to ask the deviant squatting there and hope for the best. He pushed himself off of the car, going over to the door on the side and opening it gently. Sumo took this as his cue to jump out, and he did so excitedly while Connor grabbed the end of the still-attached leash.

        “Alright, Sumo. I need you to stay calm, and stay quiet, okay?” His voice was soft, but his tone had a hint of firmness in it. He didn’t want Sumo to unintentionally scare the deviant; he was already intimidating enough through size alone. He walked over and crouched down towards the fence where the bottom corner had been broken with a wire cutter, and he slowly started to lift it up .

      ` _Stop!_ `  He suddenly heard a voice being transmitted to him before he had the chance to start crawling through. ` _Ralph doesn’t want any visitors!_ `

       Connor slowly pulled his hands away from the wiring, looking up at the house. He spotted a tiny red light flickering in one of the windows. Upon focusing his attention to it, he noticed the android with the burn mark along the side of its face was looking down at him.

       Connor frowned and carefully stood back up to his feet, responding back through wireless communication. ` _Please, I really need help._ `

       ` _Ralph tried to help, before. Ralph just wanted to be nice, but he just got hurt again._ ` The red LED was blinking erratically, the flashes synced up with the words Connor could process. ` _Ralph won’t take any more chances. No, Ralph won’t do that._ `

        ` _Ralph_ ,` Connor repeated the name. ` _I’m not going to hurt you. I just want to—_ `

       ` _How can Ralph trust you?!_ ` Connor flinched at the sharp tone interrupting his thought. He could see Ralph twitching. ` _You tried to hurt Ralph and his friends! Don’t think Ralph doesn’t remember… you tried to turn them in to the humans. But Ralph won’t let the humans get him. He won’t let that happen._ `

       A sigh escaped Connor’s mouth, and he lowered his head and looked down at the dog that was pawing at the cut corner of the fence, trying to open it up further so he could crawl under. He gently pulled Sumo back, giving him a soft pet to brush the falling snow off of him. ` _… I understand._ ` He kept his gaze downward. ` _Sorry for troubling you._ ` He turned slowly to step away from the fence.

       ` _Wait._ ` He heard Ralph message him again, and he turned back to meet eyes with the android once more.

        ` _Yes?_ `

       ` _Kara… a-and the little girl,_ ` Ralph’s internal voice was quieter, LED now flashing yellow instead of red, ` _are they okay?_ `

       Connor stood silent for a moment, not expecting such a question. Kara must be the name of the AX400. He recalled how he chased it and the girl over the fence that blocked off the highway. He probably would have been able to catch them if he wasn’t ordered by the Lieutenant to not run into the street after them.

    Seeing Hank’s face as his memory played out made Connor’s artificial heart feel heavy.

       Despite his hesitation, he answered sincerely. ` _I don’t know where they went… but they managed to escape by crossing the highway._ `

       He was surprised to see the LED slowly spin into a blue color, and he could see the figure nod its head slowly, its composure calmer. ` _Good… Ralph is happy the humans didn’t get them. They’re good people. The humans must not find them._ `

       Connor didn’t exactly know how to respond to that, but after a few seconds of silence, he received another message.

       ` _Thank you._ ` Ralph’s internal voice spoke those two words quietly, almost a whisper, and Connor watched as it stepped away from the window. It slowly returned into the depths of the house, leaving him and Sumo alone in the snow. Connor let out an unnecessary, yet tired sigh, and he looked down at the dog with a worrisome look in his brown eyes. He didn’t know what to do. His only other options were to either wait until the coast was clear or try to escape and risk the possibility of being caught. Neither of those choices seemed ideal at all.

    Connor didn’t have time to consider anything else before something snapped him out of his thoughts.

       “Hey, hold it!” Connor stiffened, immediately looking towards the gate when he heard a distant yell. He rocketed towards it, risking a peek through the fence just in time to see a man push right past two conversing police officers. After a brief moment of shock, the two officers rushed over to confront the man, their backs completely turned to him.

       Connor’s eyes lit up, watching the scene unfold for a few seconds. No, that wasn’t just a man. That must have been a deviant; there was no way that was just a coincidence. That was a deviant trying to create a distraction.

    This was their chance.

        “Alright, Sumo, come on. Stay close and stay quiet.” He put a finger to his lips, hoping the dog could understand his requests, before he pulled open the gate as quietly as he could manage. He slipped through the opening, tugging Sumo along gently to follow as he quickly hurried down the sidewalk. He risked a glance over at the two officers, still distracted with the android they were scolding. The deviant had short, red hair, and it wore a dark jacket with a scarf tied around its neck. There was no sign of an LED; it was perfectly disguised. He couldn’t scan it from this distance, and he wasn’t going to get closer to try.

       However, when he turned to look back ahead, he saw someone waving him over, gesturing him to follow. If Connor wasn’t mistaken, which he was certain he wasn’t, it looked like the same android. It was wearing different clothes, a beanie over its head and low turtleneck under its coat, but the soft facial structure was identical. The same model, most likely. A quick scan revealed that it was an EM400.

       ` _Quickly, this way!_ ` The android spoke to him wirelessly, and Connor didn’t hesitate. He picked up his pace, Sumo trotting along beside him as he followed the EM400 down the street. There were a few other officers that Connor had detected by scanning the area, but whoever was helping him seemed to be executing a plan.

       The EM400 stopped, gently gesturing Connor to hide behind the glass wall of a bus stop. Connor obliged, wrapping the leash around his hand once to close some of the distance between himself and Sumo. The Saint Bernard panted, looking around and sniffing the air to take in the scent of the things around them. Connor kept half an eye on the deviant, watching as it looked over in the direction of one of the police officers. It gave a slight nod, and Connor followed its gaze to find yet another android of the same model brush past some civilians to talk to the nearby officer. The EM400 standing by Connor waved him over again as it started walking, and Connor nodded and continued following.

       He watched this process unfold a couple more times. He would be motioned into a hiding place, the EM400 would turn and give a signal, and another EM400 would offer a distraction to the patrolling officers. Eventually, he was guided into an alleyway – one that offered a side route away from the crowd.

       “Are you alright?” The EM400 turned to look back at Connor, and he responded with a nod.

        “Yes… thank you. I don’t think I would have made it out alone.” Connor offered a small, grateful smile. It was a little crooked and awkward, but it must have gotten the message across, because the android smiled back happily.

       “That’s good to hear! We heard your message while we were passing through, and we all wanted to help.” Its voice sounded so cheerful, almost comically so.

       “Well, I very much appreciate it,” Connor nodded, allowing the wave of relief to wash over his system. “My name is Connor. I’m the—” He was about to give his programmed greeting, but he cut himself off, hesitating briefly to figure out what exactly he wanted to say.

    He wasn’t exactly the android sent by CyberLife anymore. But if he wasn’t that, then what _was_ he?

        “… I’m a deviant. Like you, I presume,” He nodded, his tone shifting uncomfortably. That wasn’t very well-phrased, but he didn’t really know what to identify himself as anymore. “And this is Sumo.” He gestured to the dog sitting by his side, looking downward as the dog gazed up at Jerry curiously.

       “It’s wonderful to meet you, Connor and Sumo!” The EM400’s grin never left its face. “Our name is Jerry.”

        “Our—wait. You’re _all_ named Jerry?”

       “We all used to work at the Pirate’s Cove before the park closed down,” Jerry explained. A quick search told Connor that the Pirate’s Cove was once a local amusement park. When he focused his attention back to the conversation, Jerry had taken a few steps closer and knelt down in front of Sumo. It – no, _he_ reached a hand out to pet him on the head, earning a content grunt from the dog.

       Connor tilted his head at a subtle angle, brows furrowed a little as he processed that information. “Are the other deviants— I mean, are the other Jerrys going to be alright?”

       Jerry looked forward for a few seconds, almost as if in a daze, but Connor recognized that he was simply focused on something else. Perhaps he was connecting to the other Jerrys. As quick as the faraway look came, it faded from Jerry’s face and he looked back up to meet Connor’s eyes. “Yes, they’re fine. They’ll meet up here in just a few moments.”

        Connor responded with a nod, glancing downward at Sumo, who seemed to be happily enjoying the affection from Jerry. “Well, thank you again for your help. I should probably get going before the police catch onto—”

       “Wait!” He almost flinched as Jerry stood up again, eyes wide and full of an emotion that Connor couldn’t quite pinpoint. Fear? Or perhaps excitement? “Why don’t you come with us? We’re headed to Jericho.”

        “Jericho?” Connor echoed the name. He’d never heard of such a place; it wasn’t in any of the databases he searched through.

       “A place where androids can be free,” uttered a voice behind him, and Connor quickly turned to see the other Jerrys having caught up to them. Four of them, he counted, five in total. They seemed to have similar expressions on their faces, and judging by the tones of their voices, Connor could now tell it was indeed excitement. “We were given a key, and we’re heading towards the first clue.”

       “It’s like a treasure map!” The Jerry in front of him chimed in, having gone back to petting Sumo. “The Ferndale Station is where it starts, and Jericho is the treasure that lies at the end! Would you like to join us?”

       Connor’s eyes scanned the soft features of the android, his lips parting for an answer, but hesitation holding back his words. “I… I’m not sure that—”

       “You seem like you’d make a fine treasure hunter,” Jerry assured cheerfully. “You even look the part with that bandana over your head!”

        “What?” Connor reached up under his hood, fingers brushing against the cloth he had tied around his forehead. “Oh, that— that wasn’t my intention. I just didn’t have a hat or anything else to hide my LED, so I…” He trailed off, the liveliness of the androids around him adding to his uncertainty. It was a little off-putting being surrounded by so much positive energy at once after everything that’s happened.

       “Oh, would you rather have a hat?” Jerry perked up, if that was even possible considering he already seemed so giddy. “Do you want to trade?”

       Connor blinked. “I— pardon me?”

       “If the pirate life isn’t for you, then I’d be more than happy to trade!” Jerry beamed at Connor, and although Connor wasn’t used to such an upbeat attitude as this one, the smile was contagious. He felt the corners of his own lips turning up just slightly.

        “It’s… it’s not necessary, but if you’re sure—”

       “Excellent!” Jerry had already taken off his beanie, his LED showing and spinning a bright blue. The excitement over such a mundane thing caused a small, breathy chuckle to sneak past Connor’s lips, and he decided against dragging on the offer and instead pulled down his hood to untie the strip of cloth around his head. They exchanged headwear while the other Jerrys were enthusiastically giving Sumo attention that he was more than content with.

       The blue light of Connor’s LED disappeared as he slipped on the black beanie, securing it around his head and looking up as Jerry tied the makeshift bandana over his forehead. It still looked ridiculous in his eyes, but something about the way Jerry seemed so pleased to dawn the “pirate” look somehow made it work.

       “Alright, me hearties!” Jerry swung his arms out enthusiastically, adopting a new persona to match his new look. “As the captain of this crew, I will lead us all to the buried treasure! Follow me!” He turned and started marching deeper into the alley and away from the main streets, and the other Jerrys started travelling after him.

       Connor faltered a moment, sharing a brief gaze with Sumo as he tried to fully digest what just happened. Sumo simply reached over to Connor’s hand that was still holding the leash, and he gave it a quick lick. Connor didn’t know if that was his way of reassuring him or telling him to start walking.

    Either way, Connor found amusement in it.

       He gently ruffled the fur on Sumo’s head before the two of them started to follow the group.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Thank you for reading my fic!!**  
>  If you have any fanart, questions, or other things regarding this fic, feel free to send them my way!  
> I'm most active on [Tumblr](http://bluedew12.tumblr.com/), but my handle on most other social media is BlueDew12 ❤


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